BIDDEFORD, Maine — On Tuesday, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology to celebrate the new building as well as some upgrades to programming offered to high school students.
The $7 million project included expanding the EMT and heating and plumbing programs that were already being offered.
Biddeford School Department Superintendent of Schools Jeremy Ray says the goal is to give students career options sooner.
"When students have interest, we don't want them to wait," Ray said. "We want to make sure that they're ready to capitalize on that so they can dig right in."
The building wasn't the only thing new on the high school campus, BRCT Director Paulette Bonneau says students can learn in a culinary arts program.
"Culinary arts has been a program that has been largely requested by the students in our regional area," Bonneau said. "It's a very expensive program to start up and to run and so we were not in the financial position to be able to do that in the past."
Eleventh grader Sophia Auger is taking the culinary arts program. Already having a passion for cooking, she says this is a great opportunity for students like her.
"It's an honor to be able to be a part of the first group to get to do this," Auger said. "I never would have expected I'd be able to do something like this."
Fellow 11th grader and culinary arts classmate Maya Cochrane feels the same.
"If you like cooking and like being around the kitchen, I think this is a great opportunity," Cochrane said.
For those who lean more toward sports, there's now an athletic training program students can enroll in.
"It's an important piece to the growing sports programs that are taking place across our state in the high schools, colleges, and even at the professional level," Bonneau said.
Bonneau notes that the programs at BRCT offer dual enrollment so students get college credit which can help them in life after high school.
A hospitality and tourism program is also being offered at BRCT.
Superintendent Ray says in the future, eighth graders and possibly younger could one day take advantage of the classes at the center.